A College Education is the Path to a Career

There is a considerable premium that is associated with graduating from a college or university, especially in this modern and constantly shifting economy. The United States of America has transitioned from a manufacturing to service-based economy in the last half century and this requires that the working population have greater educational certifications. Service jobs generally require college degrees due to the more complex nature of the work. It is proven that college education leads to increased salaries particularly through a study titled "Education Pays" by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. In this study, it was discovered that Bachelor's degree holders earn an average of $20,600 more per year than high school graduates do. Over the course of an average work-life of forty years, this amounts to an $824,000 lifetime salary premium for college or university graduates. This is because the jobs that hire college graduates pay significantly more than those that recruit high school diploma holders.

Persistence is Necessary When Searching for Employment

A college degree is sometimes not enough to find employment directly after graduation due to a number of factors. The economy can be slowing, as it is right now, causing the supply of jobs to decrease, or there could be many other students competing for positions meaning that some will not be hired. As a student, it is extremely important to keep trying to find a job and explore a variety of opportunities that suit your qualifications. Do not just apply to your first preference for employment, but also seek alternative positions in case you are not selected for your first choice.

Make Note of Deadlines

Many companies that recruit undergraduates have specific deadlines for sending applications to them. Under no circumstances should you miss these deadlines! Even if you are an outstanding candidate, there may be hundreds of other applicants who get their materials in on time and the company will not even bother looking at your resume if you are late. Do not lose an opportunity to be hired because you were too lazy to fill out a form on time.

Getting a Leg Up on the Competition

Just because a company gives a certain deadline, does not mean that you should postpone sending them your resume until that date. The fact is that most companies will read resumes by the order in which they are received. This means that if they are looking to interview 30 people for a position and they find these 30 people prior to the deadline it will be very hard to them to switch one of them for another candidate who got their resume in later. Send your information to companies as soon as possible to ensure you get their first look.

Industry-Specific Timeframes

Some industries recruit candidates at different times of the year. Most finance corporations, for example, start posting jobs for seniors at a college or university around September or October and start interviews within a month or two of posting the jobs. Research when your intended industry starts their recruitment efforts to be a part of them.